The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced self-driving vehicle terminology designed to enable a common lexicon among the technology industry and better explain to consumers the terms and concepts of this rapidly innovating sector.

The definitions were developed and approved by CTA’s recently-formed Self-Driving Vehicles Working Group – chaired by Daimler North America and Waymo, and comprised of 34 companies – which also supports driverless vehicle consumer research and policy advocacy.

Among the terms and concepts addressed within the self-driving vehicle terminology:

• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or “Driver-Assist” Features: Onboard systems developed to improve safety and performance – examples include lane departure warnings, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and automatic braking
• Aftermarket Technology: Technology services or upgrades provided by companies – unaffiliated with the vehicle manufacturer – added after a vehicle is sold or leased
• Driving Environment Sensing: The capturing, processing and analysis of sensor data (e.g., cameras, radar, LIDAR) to enhance or replace what a human driver senses
• MaaS (Mobility as a Service): The shift from personal ownership of transportation modes to shared transportation systems and services
• Platooning: Synchronous operation of multiple vehicles, often in a convoy, to increase road capacity and efficiency
• Self-Driving Vehicle: A vehicle capable of fully modeling its environment through an array of sensors, maps and other data in order to navigate and drive without human interaction
• Urban Mobility: The ability for people in urban and suburban areas to access all modes and forms of transportation.

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